Honorable Fa Mulan
by Fae 206
Summary: After she saved China, Mulan's main focus was on going home. However, when Shang follows her, he begins to show her that she doesn't need to have a matchmaker to find the ideal match. And what about the job prospect the emperor gave her. Can she live a life with a balance most would not get the chance to do?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **First Mulan fic but I hope you enjoy it. Follow from the final scene of the first movie. I love Mulan and Shang as well so hope I can do justice to their relationship 😊

**Honorable Fa Mulan**

**Chapter One**

It had been about three months since Mulan had really been at home. Training usually took longer but they had really amped it up when Shang had been focused and after climbing to get the arrow, Mulan had dedicated herself to the task of getting stronger. She stood in the kitchen at her home holding the tea. Maybe she wasn't the most used to acting in the way a traditional woman acted but she wanted to try.

Li smiled as she watched her daughter. "You didn't disgrace us," she told her and Mulan smiled. "You worried us but we weren't ashamed of you and we aren't ashamed of you." Mulan turned to hear her mother's voice and put the tea down. "I think that man likes you."

"He…he's…" Mulan said gently and then bowed her head. "I like him too but I'm not ready to cage myself into the role of a traditional woman," she tried to explain before taking another look at her father and Shang. She blushed but remained steady with the tea.

"I believe that he fell for you because you are unique," Li attempted to remind her daughter. "He knows who you are. You're the woman who saved China."

"And yet, he might have a woman lined up by a matchmaker," Mulan said.

Grandmother Fa laughed at this, "Nonsense. What does another woman have that you don't have," she told her and Mulan paused. She could think of the answer to that with the last visit to a matchmaker as an example. Then again, the emperor had offered her a place on the council. Maybe it wasn't too late to go back and accept that role. That might make her stand out but she wouldn't be conforming to a role she felt forced to take.

Grandmother Fa took another look at her son and the captain of the branch of the army who had rescued them all. "Go in there, pour them some tea," she said with a little shove. Mulan felt herself stumble but she managed to hold onto the tea. She nervously took some steps over to the table before spilling some of the tea on herself. She grit her teeth as she felt the burn and both men had stood up.

"Mulan," Zhou said as he took in his daughter, "Are you okay? Did you lose your balance?"

"Did you get hurt?" Shang asked, "Let me get you some bandages, a wet cloth at least."

"It's really okay," Mulan said as she faced the sting and she could see from Shang's face his nervous concern over her. Li came out with a cloth and some bandages.

"I apologize for this. I apologize for my dau-"

"You don't have to apologize for her," Shang said before smiling to Mulan though his face still showed a great deal of concern. He loved her and though his strict upbringing made him a little more emotionally reserved, he did love this amazing woman who had saved his life. He had been confused about Ping, he had faced some attraction to him and that had been something that had made him question everything but Ping was actually Mulan and she left him breathless. "She's perfect."

Zhou's eyes widened as he heard Shang say that and Mulan turned a deep red, her mother and grandmother were even blushing a little.

"I…I'll get some more tea and…" Mulan said with a deep bow but her mother placed a hand on her back.

"You should change into some fresh clothing, I'll prepare to the tea," Li said and Shang looked at them.

"Do you need to go?" Mulan asked Shang and he shook his head though anyone could see how protective he was of Mulan, how deep his love for her actually ran.

"No. I don't need to go just yet, I…I wanted to ask you for something but I understand if you want to say no. We don't have to decide anything right now. I want you to be safe and I don't want that burn to continue to hurt you," he said and Mulan nodded slowly.

"I'll get changed then," she said as her grandmother handed her a wet towel.

"You should ask her to marry you," Grandmother Fa joked and Shang looked nervous.

"You don't have to," Mulan said quickly. "It's a big commitment. I don't even know that I'm ready to accept such an offer so please don't feel any pressure to do so."

Shang shifted, "It wasn't a marriage proposal but I wanted to ask that you ride with me to visit my mother," he said and Mulan looked surprised. She smiled though and nodded.

"I'm going to change into something else," she gestured but was excited to see the joy on Shang's face _especially_ knowing that she had provided the reason for such joy.

**End of Chapter One**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **First of all thank you to all of those patiently waiting for an update. Second, sorry it took me so long.

**Chapter Two**

Shang stood outside the Fa household as he looked towards the shrine for the ancestors. This definitely did seem like an average Chinese home and yet it seemed so beautiful when he considered that this was the place where Mulan had grown up. He remembered the girls he knew when he was growing up and could imagine a tiny Mulan playing, laughing, rolling around. He smiled. He definitely didn't feel worthy of such a woman but he could tell that she liked him. He didn't know how to deal with girls but he had had more than his fair share of admirers.

As Shang watched how the sunlight went through the trees at sunset, he heard the sound of barking and looked to his foot where a little dog was pawing at his leg. He carefully got down on one knee to pet the dog. "Hello there," he said as he saw the dog roll onto his back, "who are you then?"

"Little Brother," Mulan said as she stood behind Shang who blinked and turned to her. "I mean, that's his name."

"Quite a unique name," Shang said as he pet the dog and Little Brother ran to Mulan who gave him a dish of food. She ruffled the fur on the top of his head. She really had missed being home. She had missed the garden and the animals but most of all she had missed her family and her father. Most fathers would be displeased by her actions, they would consider her crazy and not right in the head. Her own father didn't seem to hold those thoughts against her.

"Well, he's _quite_ a unique dog," Mulan winked at him and then stood, she went over to the entrance way where she had a tray with two cups of tea and saucers on there. "I don't suppose you're thirsty, are you?" she asked and he chuckled.

"I could drink, yeah," he said. Shang rubbed the back of his neck before he gestured to a bench underneath a tree. "How about we sit down? Did you want to spend a little more time here before we set off, I don't want to take you away from here when you've done so much."

Mulan smiled and sighed, she looked at the cup she was holding and turned it. "Would it be selfish to ask to spend a couple more days with my family, I guess that the matchmaker would disapprove of my outspokenness. That's why they thought that I would never be married." She laughed and drank a sip of the tea, "Maybe I made a better soldier than I do a woman."

"Given the strict rules they make woman follow, maybe anyone would," Shang laughed and Mulan smiled, blushing a little. She didn't think that she would really be here and feel so special and honored. She had fallen for him when she had been disguised as Ping but she wasn't disguised here. She wasn't dressed like a male soldier as she had been when they had first met. She wasn't wearing heavy makeup and traditional garb like when she had met with the matchmaker. She was just her honest self and he seemed to like that about her.

"Shang," Mulan said as she put the cup down and turned to face him more directly. "I am _never_ going to be like the other women. I don't know how to. I think I grew up with stubbornness on one should and the inability to listen and heed caution on the other. I don't think that I would be received well in high society as -"

"The girl who is a shining example of a hero," he laughed, "or heroine. If you are not received then those people are not worthy of my time, of our time. I really do lo-appreciate you," Shang said but Mulan still caught the first syllable of what it was he had really wanted to say. She saw his unease and smiled to him playfully. She might be able to tease him later but right now she just wanted to enjoy the small moments.

"Shang," Mulan said as she leaned forwards and rested her chin in her hand. She could tell by his breathing, by his facial expression, by the way he was only glancing over to her occasionally that he was nervous. It was actually quite sweet in her mind. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"

"A walk?" Shang asked, "Down to the shops?"

"Well, the center square and probably back as well," Mulan paused as she looked him over. She hadn't been able to ask him before but now one thing kept triggering in her mind. Shang didn't say where he was spending the night. She didn't want to sound as if she were being forward but sometimes he didn't think ahead outside of a battle. "Shang, do you have anywhere to stay for tonight?"

"I was going to look around for somewh—" Shang began but was cut off by Grandmother Fa shouting in the distance.

"You can stay here for ever!" she yelled out and Mulan blushed.

"Would you like to spend the night? We have a guest room," she said and Shang nodded.

"If that isn't too intrusive on you. I would deeply appreciate the invitation," he told her and Mulan nodded. She started to walk off but found Shang to grab her hand, she looked down at where their hands were touching and blushed again. He squeezed her hand lightly.

"I'm not usually lucky," he told her and Mulan tilted her head to the side, listening to him. "Well, I wasn't until you came into my camp," he said and Mulan chuckled to herself. She turned a deep red as Shang lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. She was glad that Mushu wasn't with her at that time, he'd definitely have a lot of comments to make even about an action that was that small.

MuShMuSh

Even though she had seen her home so many times in so many different ways, the way in which Mulan viewed it now was the most different, the change was the most significant. She had definitely grown up and matured because of her decision. She still wasn't sure how to quite be a lady and fit into society in that way but she did know herself, she did feel honor in being herself. It was refreshing and gave her confidence but she still felt as if she were missing something important.

She stepped forwards as Shang watched her and turned to the different shops where they were closing and putting away their wares for the following days. She gestured to a few of them as Shang nodded, his attention mainly on Mulan. Mulan then turned to a different building. "That is…"

"Well, I would want to go there immediately if I were you," a woman said as she walked towards the two of them. Mulan rolled her eyes and shook her head as the girl moved past her. She didn't pay attention to the Fa family daughter, not that she would have cared about Mulan's opinion. She walked up to Shang. "You should execute that prisoner," the girl said.

Shang's eyes widened in alarm and he took a step back, "Execute?" he asked before turning to Mulan. "Do you know her?" he asked before coming closer to Mulan and whispered to her, "Is she crazy?"

"This is Wu Chunhua," Mulan gestured. She looked at the other women. Chunhua was Mulan's age but unlike the heroic warrior, she had the grace, beauty, and elegance that you might expect a woman who only existed in a beautiful art piece to have. She had been the most popular and sought after woman in the district. She always entertained suitors and was said that she didn't need to try, she would get a good man with good wealth and a good life. She had been raised to act flawlessly in front of the matchmaker. What she lacked was character or rather any _good_ character.

"Nice to meet you," Shang said as he looked between the two women.

"I heard that you were a _dishonor_ to your family," Chunhua said and Mulan knew that people here would not have heard about her great deeds just yet. As important as it was that she saved the emperor, her home was far away from the main city and so it might be a few days or few weeks until they knew exactly what had happened. She had only arrived back and she had come straight away…Shang must have quickly followed after her. "To even show your face here again. Your _disgusting _face. And your hair, it makes you look like a hog."

Mulan rolled her eyes but was surprised when Shang placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Excuse me but I don't like what you're saying about Fa Mulan," he told her and Mulan watched between the two of them. She tried to hide a smile of excitement. Apart from her father who did it in a very respectful manner, no man had ever stood up for her before. Now she was seeing the man she was attracted to on all levels doing so.

"And who is Fa Mulan to you?" Chunhua asked and Shang lifted his chin proudly.

"The woman that I love," he told her and Mulan smiled, bowing her head shyly as those words went through her mind. She felt like a silly schoolgirl again. Would Shang become disillusioned if he learned that about her.

"Well then," Chunhua replied as she looked at Mulan as if she were a chicken with ugly feathers and a bad leg, she then turned back to Shang. "You are a fool."

**End of Chapter Two**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter One

Admiral809, ElsaAnnaSnowQueen, icy-rain499, Kagome Avalon, kotoko-98, Liz, Lvdmadeon,


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

As they returned to the Fa home, Shang stopped and put a hand to his side before pushing his other hand back over his hair. "Wow," he said with a laugh and Mulan tilted her head to the side whilst watching him. "I'm so sorry but wow…"

"Yes, I'm sure that the simplicity of our markets is really not of the grandeu-" she began but Shang stopped her. He put one hand to her shoulder and grinned in a slightly clumsy manner. Mulan watched him, her heart pounding as she tried not to blush and show how she was a dichotomy between her father's precious blossom and the warrior for the empire.

"I think that your village is lovely," Shang told her and Mulan nodded listening to him. "You have two great heroes of war who live in your family and I have often been one to think that you should not judge how others are progressing to deem your own strength and worthiness. The tallest trees can sometimes grow in dirt others would consider inferior, that's not why I'm laughing."

Mulan blinked again. So, this wasn't about her poor upbringing? Shang was a commanding officer who was son to a commanding officer, he had no doubt spent his early years living with a semi-luxury which she had never imagined. She wasn't trained to dream above her station and had sometimes been told not to even dream outside of her family home. She had been fearful that maybe Shang had sensed something about how she had lived that made her not good enough anymore.

"These people have really underestimated you," he grinned. "I can't wait until you prove them wrong. I've always wanted to see it."

Mulan stopped as she looked at him. He was laughing because Chunhua had insulted her?

"I spent a lot of time by myself, there were a lot of people who I made friends with and I was always rather good at chess but the traditional roles for a woman…I wanted to spend my days having fun and enjoying life. I wasn't really one of the popular kids," Mulan tried to defend herself and Shang stopped himself.

He looked at her in a very disappointed manner, but he wasn't disappointed in her, he couldn't be. He had said something that had come out wrong again. Maybe he was always respected as a child and he was popular but that was because he was his father's son. He was expected to live up to the level of greatness that his dad had, to follow that already paved path. He hadn't meant to insult the woman he loved, the woman who impressed him in a million and a half different ways.

"Mulan," he said gently, "That's not what I meant. I didn't mean to say that there was anything wrong with you. If I gave you that misunder-"

"You were probably brought up to marry someone more like Chunhua," Mulan said and Shang sighed.

"I was brought up to do a lot and be a lot that I wasn't. As for whether I would find pleasure with someone who exhibits that lack of intelligence and tact in conversation," Shang squeezed the bridge of his nose as he heard himself. "I'm not such a great conversationalist," he apologized, "Everything was done for me as a child. I suppose that I lack a lot of tact too but what I do know is that I find you enchanting, Mulan." He walked towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder. He kissed her forehead and deeply inhaled her scent as the moon beamed down upon them.

"I was raised in a family which had expectations for my entire life. I was raised by people who knew that I was going to follow in my father's footsteps. I was allowed freedom on an every day basis but not for life. If I disappointed someone or deviated from my path, then I was to be considered a disappointment and people would ask my parents what went wrong with me, why was I so different from my father and grandfather…I was never allowed to be an individual," he told her before laughing softly. "But you seem to see me as one. You're truly unique and I think it's beautiful how you've achieved things that nobody ever will again and you did it by being yourself."

Mulan looked at him. She knew that some people in the army thought about Shang being distant, following rules, focusing on his work. She still could see his smile when she knocked him back, the way his eyes glimmered with excitement as the training took hold, she could feel the sadness within him as he lost his father. She had seen him in so many ways that despite how he might appear, he had a heart and character as unique as her own.

"There are some things that others wi-"

"You should never change who you are," Shang told her as he held one of her hands in his own, he brought it up to his lips and Mulan smiled as he kissed the back of it. "I promise you that I will spend my life standing up for you and defending who you are. There is nobody like you out there. I promise to protect you."

"And you're happy that -"

"That you're being recognized, not as some matchmaker's whore but as someone with real substance who has a worth built from much more than what might be seen as ideal. I am just looking forward to seeing how they feel when they know they've underestimated you. I want to see them become impressed by you in the same way that I was impressed when that arrow fell at my feet."

"Shang," Mulan said before looking into his eyes and he gently cupped her cheek, he used his thumb to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and then brought her chin up so that he could kiss her in a romantic manner. She smiled and threw her arms around him. Maybe people in the village would say that this was indecent. Right here they wouldn't say that. Right here she was in her family's home where she could really be herself.

MuShMuSh

As the morning air seemed to settle in, Mulan knew that soon she would be away from home again. This time though she had a plan, she had permission, and she had a nice guy who would accompany her. Her grandmother was right, there was definitely a sense of luxury in having a man like Shang around in her life. She stepped out to the front of the house where she could see her family all seeming to hide behind a pillar whilst watching Shang train. He was training still? Hopefully there wouldn't be cause for doing the amount that they were doing. His body did cause her to feel attracted to him and stimulated.

She blinked and tried to bow her head. Seeing his muscles and bare chest wasn't supposed to be making her feel this weak. No. She had to try to get that out of her head and think about how he could see her as an equal. She saw her grandmother swoon and grabbed a bone for Little Brother. "Good morning," she smiled to him and he turned to her, making sure not to kick her as he practiced different techniques.

"Good morning," he said before reaching out to grab his shirt. "I hope that it wasn't too forward of me to be out here like this, I've never gone a day without training before and…."

"And I think that it's incredibly thoughtful of you to be wanting to keep your body in shape. I hope that it doesn't become too much of an inconvenience to you if I start training with you. I wouldn't want to be in your way," she laughed and saw that he had turned red himself. He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah. I think that'd…" he smiled in a way that Mulan found extremely sweet especially for a man with his muscular build, "that'd be good. Training together and…"

"And hopefully I wouldn't have to disguise myself as a gu-" she coughed putting on her 'Ping' voice, "as a guy, you know, with all the spitting and the scratching to uh…make you take me seriously."

Shang moved over to her and grinned playfully, "You know that you don't have to do that, I'd prefer for you to be just who you are and -" he leaned forwards but Mulan put a finger on his lips keeping him from kissing her in even a playful manner.

"My grandmother is watching you," she whispered before they heard a voice calling back to them.

"No I'm not!"

Shang chuckled weakly before putting his shirt back on and then saw Mulan walk over to the dog and give him a bone. He continued to follow after her as she got a bucket of chicken feed. "Here," he said as he reached out for it. "I can do this. It's the least I can do since you let me stay the night."

"I would have been worried had you been on the streets," she winked to him and they walked together towards the ancestor's temple. "I think that I want to introduce you to someone, a friend of mine. He's got a huge ego and a very unique personality but I think that you'd be fine to meet with him. He's incredibly important to me."

Shang stopped suddenly as he looked at her. Incredibly important? There was some other man in Mulan's life that he should try to avoid being jealous of? He was only being told this now when he had already spent time with her and her family. He looked at her as they finally got to the Fa family shrine and Mulan walked over to one part of it.

Shang watched as a cricket hopped onto her finger and Mulan started speaking to it as if she were talking with a young child.

"Can you go and find Mushu for me?" she asked and Shang blinked confused. He saw the cricket jump off her finger and laughed, awkwardly rubbing the side of his neck yet again.

"This, Mushu, should I be worried about him?" he asked and Mulan smiled.

With a playful and teasing smile, Mulan nodded, "Yes, very much so. Mushu is quite a character with a larger than life personality."

"Larger than life personality is right," the small red dragon said and Mulan gently picked him up causing Shang's eyes to widen. What was that? He had seen pictures of dragons but he didn't ever think that he would see a real one and one that was that small too.

"A lizard?" he asked as he stared towards Mulan and the red creature in her hand.

"Did Prince Charming just say lizard?" Mushu asked as he gestured to Shang. Shang's eyes widened. This lizard could talk?

**End of Chapter Two**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter One

ElsaAnnaSnowQueen, Guest (x2), kotoko-98, LilRed1221,


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Thank you so much for checking out all of my fics and sending me your loving critical guest reviews Mr. Somebody. Please know that I've been able to get a lot of good use of my remove review option because of you. Thank you XD

**Chapter Four**

Mulan looked at Shang once again from over the top of her tea cup. She had explained all about Mushu and how they had met and how he was a family guardian and what he did for the army and he had been stunned. To think that all of that had happened under his watch made him feel very conflicted. First of all, dragons weren't part of army units and he had been trained to think very logically about this, should he report it? No. There was a lot that happened that he hadn't been aware of it and it was the fact that it had all clicked together that meant that the emperor was safe and had shown Mulan his honor and respect. Nothing in the training manuals had mentioned dressing up as concubines and yet he had seen that happen.

Then he was amazed that something like this was real and a part of his younger self wanted to search out to see if there were other dragons who could be captured and trained. No. If they were family guardians then it would only mean dishonor to his own family but it was something he was definitely curious about.

"You should get going, people are starting to hear of the emperor's decree," Mulan heard her mother say as she felt her gentle hand upon her shoulder. "It will get busy here."

"I don't want to leave you and Fath-" Mulan argued as she thought about what type of crowds might come here. She hadn't meant to bring this national attention to herself. She had done what she had to save her father from his own death and when she realized that she had the opportunity to play a hand in defending her country, she had taken it. Nothing had been done for glory.

"We will be fine. Take Khan and be safe," she said and Mulan nodded. She looked to Shang who already had finished the tea and was bowing with a lot of respect towards her mother.

"The tea was delicious, thank you and thank you for allowing me to stay here. I promise that I will do only my best in taking care of your daughter," he said and Mulan smiled, trying to hide the blush that was covering her cheeks. He really was cute but more than that he was open and honest with her about her non-traditional beauty.

"Thank you. I'll try to return home as soon as I can," she smiled before looking to Shang. She knew that she wanted to be with him but she didn't quite understand what that meant. With the beauty consultations talking about how once you were a wife you were to serve your husband, she wasn't sure if she would be able to do that. She was bolder and more adventurous than a lot of women but fortunately, Shang knew her, she knew him, he didn't expect for her to change.

Mulan placed her clothes in a bag that she could put on Khan and gently let her head rest on the horse's as he neighed in delight. "Thank you," she said as Shang looked at her, he was next to his own horse.

"Thank you?" he asked repeating that and Mulan smiled.

"For taking a chance on a girl like me. I know that with your family's prestige and capital that you would have the opportunity to be with numerous-" Mulan stopped as she felt Shang's hand on her cheek and he kissed her passionately.

"None of those women will ever mean a thing to me. You are real whereas they have been taught what to say and who to be. I am far far happier with my choice. I only wish that I could be honorable of your affections," he said and Mulan tried to argue but he kissed her again. "I want to prove to you my honor."

Blushing again, Mulan squeezed Shang's hand before getting upon Khan. She knew that soon the news would spread and the Fa family would be the main topic of conversation. She knew that there would be people wanting to ask her of the story and those people would no doubt go to her mother, father, and her grandmother. Hopefully they were protected. Her father wasn't someone who was unable to defend himself but the injury would give an opponent an unfair advantage over him.

With her thoughts on her father, Mulan didn't notice the little red flash going into the bag on her back. She saw Shang start to ride away and followed him. She winked as he laughed at how she could ride next to him. "You didn't think I'd come out of all of that training and learn nothing, did you?" she winked and Shang smiled again.

_Wow, this girl really was the whole package and more_.

MuShMuShMuSh

It was dark by the time they had finally arrived at the home in which Shang had grown up and Mulan had already noticed the differences between how they had been raised. She felt that a lot of the finery that the Li family had would be something looked upon in awe of someone at her standing. She did enjoy her life. She enjoyed the freedom to be herself and she enjoyed looking into the river and being with her father. As they had walked their horses to the stables, Mulan had seen how much time other women had put into their looks and their clothes. This was something which she hadn't wanted to experience. She had only done it in the past because she was expected to do it.

"Are you okay?" Shang asked as he looked at Mulan and saw her seem to be a little tense. He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder and she flinched, pulling back from him before laughing. He blinked confused and tried to smile as he gazed at her with concern.

"Your father was the -"

"The Captain General of the Imperial Army?" he asked her and Mulan nodded slowly. Yes, her father had done impressive feats but there was a lot of difference in terms of the distinction between them. Shang reached out and held her hands. "Look. I love you. I am in love with you," he repeated.

Mulan smiled and blushed a little as she heard that, "I just hope that they don't think that I am –"

"Do you remember that the _emperor _bowed to you. I mean, nobody compares to you right now. You don't have to prove anything to anyone and you most definitely don't have to prove something to me. I mean, it was joked about many times that my head was too involved in training that I was a little…let's say clueless about women. You're perfect for me," he tried to convince her and Mulan raised an eyebrow.

"Because I'm just one of the guys?" she asked and Shang sighed.

"You are someone who can keep me on point, who I can admit to might be nearly at my level in terms of physical skill and I admit to being slightly less to in terms of intelligence. I have always wanted to have someone who can understand me and I can talk to. I would rather spend any amount of time with you than hearing one of those poised women recite whatever words they tell her to say."

Mulan smiled as she heard that and kissed Shang's cheek before taking a step back. "You know, ever since I was a child, all girls have been told those are the words to finding a husband."

"I know," Shang sighed before looking at Mulan. He looked at the moon and then smiled at how the light reflected off her face. It made her features so much clearer and it made him think of her as a perfect doll, a rare gem, a flower of impressive quality. Maybe none of those things actually amounted to her value and beauty. "If we have a daughter then I would prefer for her to feel safe in her independence and individuality."

Mulan stared at him in shock and Shang paled as he realized what he had said, "If we have a daughter?"

"Yes, well, you see," the officer said fidgeting again and becoming more nervous. "I would very much like to - I think that if we were to have chil - I want to be the man who is -"

"I would like that," the young woman smiled as she went to stand next to him and look at the moon above. She turned to see Khan looking at them and he shook his head before going over to eat some straw. Mulan bowed her head. "I have always loved my father because of the way that he values character. My father allowed me to develop into who I am. I would only want to be married to a man who sees the very same thing."

"I will have to thank your father for that," Shang said and he dared himself to stand behind Mulan and wrap her up in his arms. He embraced her lovingly and she reached out to take his hand. She allowed her fingers to slip into his and he held her closer to him. She felt a tear down her cheek as she felt that somehow she was finally worthy, she had been seen. She had proven herself someone as ready and willing to be loved as any woman.

"Ah, Shang," a man said as he approached them and Mulan stiffened. Whoever this man was, he hadn't seen her yet. She wanted to make a good impression on him. She didn't know how much had been told about her from the emperor but Shang had assured her that this city would be the first place to have received the news so they had to know. Did she stand up to the image that they had of her? The image she had created for herself?

"Grandfather," Shang said and Mulan felt herself even more panicked. His grandfather was still alive? She knew that she didn't know that much about the world but she allowed Shang to move without her. She wanted to figure out the correct way in dealing with him. Wasn't he dead? She had expected for him to be dead?

"Grandfather," Shang said, "The battle is over, Shan Yu has -"

"I know all about that, boy," the man said. "We have arranged your marriage whilst you have been fighting." Shang's jaw dropped and he looked at the elderly man in shock. "You will be meeting her tomorrow at dawn. Get some rest and -"

"I already am with someone," Shang said and his grandfather coughed.

"That….servant girl," he said in a dismissive tone. "Get rid of her. Someone of so little value doesn't have the right to even dream of a life in this house." Shang opened his mouth to argue but his grandfather had already left. Shang looked to the woman he loves, the woman who looked like she had been fatally stabbed. He tried to rush after his grandfather but she held him back.

"No," she said before sobbing. "Shang, no."

The devastation on Shang's expression almost made the pain triple. Mulan didn't know though that Shang had already placed her high high above whatever others expected of him. He would deny his heritage if that was needed, he just had never thought she would have already been treated like less than dirt.

**End of Chapter Four**

**Thank you for reading**

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Three

ElsaAnnaSnowQueen, Guest, JaneShadow, Kagome Avalon, KathyMesser, pavlovalover, Tayashia,

**AN: Reason I haven't updated for so long**

I really want to get back to updating what you guys want to see.

I have just recently had some bad luck with this one total psychopath from the Skip Beat set of fics. They were sending me hate at least two or three times an hour for about ten to twelve hours a day over a period of two weeks. It led me to realize that I didn't want to write for others and get that kind of reception and that writing for myself was easier.

Ove the past three weeks, whenever I update a chapter of anything I get a guest review that is about how bad my writing is, how I'm out of character, etc. With such consistency I have to believe it's the same person but this taught me that no matter what haters gonna hate. And guess what, I moderate my anonymous comments, I just click delete and that persons' words don't even make it onto the fic. Right now I'm laughing because of how much of their personal time they are wasting.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Shang hated the fact that his grandfather was so bitter about Mulan. He had thought that he would have known who she was and how _Shang_ was the lucky one to be chosen by someone like Mulan. He saw the pain in her body despite her not looking at him. He reached a hand out for her and saw her flinch. "I'm here," he told her and Mulan reached back to squeeze his fingers. "Tell me what you need to do? Did you need me to leave?"

"I would like to see your mother," Mulan told him and Shang smiled, he nodded.

"I'm sure that when she hears about you, when she meets you, she'll be happy to have you here," he tried to encourage Mulan and saw her half smile. "My father would be honored by your presence. I wish that he had lived long enough to have properly met you."

"I wouldn't have been an embarrassment to him?" Mulan asked and Shang held her close. He wanted to make sure that she felt supported by him. He was a little bit clueless when it came to relationships. What he didn't know about love and interpersonal communication, he made up for in dedicating his life to fighting and training and being a skilled leader.

"Come here," Shang said as he took her hand and before Mulan had said anything, he pulled her through the house, passing the way of different servants. She took a slow breath in. Servants? Her family had never had servants. She had always been one to do the chores which her mother didn't. She didn't even have any siblings, giving her puppy the name Little Brother instead, so those chores were her responsibility. She wasn't used to this wealth.

"Where is my mother?" Shang asked. Mulan didn't know what to say to him. She was certain that Shang didn't know he was gripping her wrist with a strong hold. No. She could have broken out of it if she really cared, if she really wanted to argue against him. She just wanted to see what he was doing. Observing and analyzing the situation was necessary.

Some of the servants gossiped between one another before a few scurried off. Shang took some deep breaths as he let go of Mulan's hand. "I'm sorry," he apologized to her. "I should have been thinking about whether you wanted to do this or not."

"As I said," Mulan smiled as she shook her wrist. "I would very much like to see your mother. I might not be the ideal daughter-in-law to her but I want to -"

"Remember that the emperor wants you to be an adviser to him. Remember that you saved China. Remember that we all owe _you_ our lives and our freedom. I'd rather be a poor beggar cast out onto the street than choose anyone else."

Mulan looked into Shang's eyes and blushed. He definitely was passionate for her and it made her feel special. She had often heard girls say about how certain men had given them this feeling of being a prized jewel but she hadn't felt that such things would come to _her_. She reached across and slipped her hand into Shang's again. He was just a boy in some ways, inexperienced, but so was she.

Soon they heard hurried footsteps and Mulan suddenly dropped into a deep bow, kneeling upon the floor before Shang could do anything to stop her. He turned to see the elegant woman and she ran to him, sobbing and throwing her arms around him. She definitely looked as if she were in mourning and it was a miracle that their own house hadn't been ransacked during the war.

"Your father would be so proud," she whispered to him as she cried onto his chest, having not seen the woman beside him. Shang laughed weakly and Mulan could hear the hurt in his voice. The two were suffering with the general's death. She should have realized that the love in this house was of a somber kind. "You must be fed at once until you're stuffed. My poor boy," she said lovingly and Mulan closed her eyes, still in her kneeling position as she thought about the love her family had for her. She had missed her father terribly during their separation.

"Mother," Shang said as he finally took a couple of steps back, "I am not sure what you have heard about the palace, about the end of the war, but I have someone who I would very much like you to meet."

Shang knelt down beside Mulan who nervously looked up at his mother. She bit her top lip and her mother gasped, looking at her. It was as the tales had been told. This was the girl who seemed almost like a myth. She was a troublemaker, breaking many important rules, but she had done so with a purpose and she had met an important goal. Saving China from the Huns.

"Could you be…" the woman asked and Mulan looked at her as if she were an innocent kitten. "Oh…my…" The woman helped her up and Shang helped support her. The woman then bowed herself. "It is an honor to have you in our home, Fa Mulan." Shang saw Mulan gasp a little, still not used to this prestige that was given to her by the emperor. "For what purpose -"

"Shang and I…we love one another," Mulan explained seeing Shang smile as he wrapped an arm around her. "He has already asked my family for their blessing to our relationship. I wanted to come and ask for yours."

"Of course," the woman smiled happily. "To have the honor of such a woman in our family is -"

"A woman," the grandfather sneered. "She is more like a stray and rabid dog than a woman," he said as he tried to dismiss her. "If it wasn't for her then the general would still be alive. My son would still be alive," he said and Mulan opened her mouth to apologize but Shang stepped in front of her.

"She did nothing of the kind. How can you expect a foot soldier to have the burden of our Imperial Army's defeat? She was one of the soldiers I trained, not that it would make any sense at all, but the failure perceived of her training, if there exists any at all, rests on my shoulders," Shang said passionately. "If we are not welcome here then we will leave."

"Hush," his mother said before looking over Mulan. "It is true that your beauty might be increased by finer clothes, a bath, some makeup but your character is beautiful. Would you be willing to be trained in how to be a true wife? I am sure that if you endure that training, our whole family will embrace you."

Shang turned back to look at his mother in horror. He didn't want some perfect bride. He wanted someone he could have a conversation with, he wanted someone who he wanted to talk to about the deeper things in life, he wanted to have a sparring partner. Maybe doing this to Mulan would ruin her. "She's already beautiful," Shang said quickly. He reached for Mulan's shoulder. "You don't have to do this," he tried to encourage her and Mulan nodded.

"I understand but I am willing to become one of those beautiful flowers, my parents tried to take me to a matchmaker but I was too free spirited," Mulan laughed gently and Shang stared at her. He shook his head not wanting to hear this. To him Mulan was perfect and though going through those steps to prepare to be a wife wouldn't be enough to ruin her, he didn't want to crush her by making her believe she wasn't good enough.

"You should be careful, Shang," his grandfather said to him and Shang put a hand on Mulan's shoulder protectively. He didn't want to hear how his grandfather thought Mulan was a snake or a worm or any other degrading remark.

"Why should I be careful?" he asked in a balanced manner.

"You must enter a relationship with a woman, there are already rumors that your romantic desires are disturbed and that you entertain fantasies of men," the grandfather said bluntly and Shang opened his mouth to argue. Was that true though? He had felt something behind Ping's disguise but if the charade had continued, would he have felt that he held love for Ping despite his male gender.

ShMuShMuShMu

Shang had paced in front of the room where Mulan had been sleeping in all morning. His grandfather had told him that he shouldn't allow himself to be tied down to one woman whilst everyone else praised Mulan for her bravery and her passion for her country and her family. He wanted to talk to her, ask her if she felt comfortable staying here where such judgment was heaved upon her.

Shang sighed as he sank to the ground and looked up. Why couldn't his family just honor and love Mulan as he did? He wasn't lying to himself that his family wanted his happiness most of all, was he? His father would have been honored by having Mulan enter the family had he survived the war. Shang wished that he could speak with him and ask his advice but he could only do so at the family altar.

Shang blinked as he saw that one of his mother's handmaidens had exited the room where Mulan had been staying. He stared at her and then looked at the gap in the door. He knocked on the door and was surprised to see Mulan sitting in front of the mirror. Her face was covered with white powder and heavy makeup as if she were about to audition to be someone's wife.

He looked at her. He would never call her ugly but she didn't look as beautiful as she usually did. He saw her smile fade, her eyes had no light in them. No, she was still beautiful but she wasn't glowing like she usually would. She turned to him with a forced smile. "How do I look?" she asked. "Will your mother approve?"

"You look beautiful," Shang said as he tried to hold himself back from his comments that she didn't need any of this and she shouldn't be hiding her natural beauty, he knew how unskilled he was with matters of love. The last thing that he wanted to do was make Mulan feel worse. "You always look beautiful."

"Thank you," Mulan nodded and Shang's mind went back to what she had said before leaving the palace. Had he just said the wrong thing to her?

**End of Chapter Five**

**Thank you for reading**

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Four

ElsaAnnaSnowQueen, Guest (x2) ,HistoryISculture, Kagome Avalon, KathyMesser, kotoko-98, Vero Diaz, yaly.97cello


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